Archive for December 30, 2013

Ya’alon: EU’s threat to boycott (no peace) preferable to rockets on Ben-Gurion Airport

Defense Minister Ya’alon correctly states that “wide-eyed & naïve people in the West” err in pressuring Israel that “peace must happen immediately”, leaving Israel without security guarantees, considering the history & present acts of violence of the Palestinians.

 

 

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Monday said that if compromises in peace negotiations would lead to “rockets from Nablus, Ramallah and Jenin on to Ben-Gurion Airport, then I would rather have a European boycott” on Israel.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon- Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry spokesman

Ya’alon also addressed Sunday’s rocket attack from Lebanon. Despite Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s assigning responsibility to Lebanon and Hezbollah, the defense minister implied that preliminary information indicated that the attack was perpetrated by Sunnis fighting Hezbollah in Syria who hoped to fool Israel into retaliating against Hezbollah. Continue Reading »

New scholarship for discharged Golan Druze soldiers

The scholarship will demonstrate to the young people of the Golan Heights that they are welcomed citizens of Israel & the scholarship is a very good way to bring together the Golan Druze community & Israel.

 

 

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) along with Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) led by former minister Avi Dichter, established a new scholarship program on Sunday for army and national service graduates of the Druze community in commemoration of Sayeret Matkal Major Salim Shufi.

Former Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter -  Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

Former Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

“This is the first project of this kind to incorporate young Druze residents of the Golan Heights. Continue Reading »

A hateful church

Is it possible to tell so many half-truths, purposely refrain from being honest & forthright, and advocate a measure that will bring about the deaths of innocent civilians, and still be ‘Christian’?

Posted by Melanie Phillips

A church of hate

An open letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

Dear Archbishop,

I read with interest your Christmas Day sermon, in which you said:

‘The Christian meaning of Christmas is unconditional love received, love overflowing into a frequently love-lost world.’

Leila Khaled is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a convicted airline hijacker who was later released in a prisoner exchange for civilian hostages kidnapped by her fellow PFLP members. Wikipedia

Murial on the Security Wall that protects Israel from terrorist in Bethlehem – Leila Khaled is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a convicted airline hijacker who was later released in a prisoner exchange for civilian hostages kidnapped by her fellow PFLP members.

Continue Reading »

Israeli Air Force changed policy to let pregnant pilots keep flying

 

Revision in regulations now allows expecting women to continue flying during 15th – 25th week of pregnancy. Flights will be for transports only, less than 4 hours long

By Yossi Yehoshua

 

The Israeli Air Force has decided to let pregnant pilots keep flying.

It was 15 years ago that the first woman graduated from the Air Force Flight Academy, and since then, many other high-quality women have reached the same prestigious stage. Now these pilots will only have to take a minor pregnancy recess to keep up with their male counterparts.

Women pilots in the IAF (Photo: Tal Shachar)

Women pilots in the IAF – Photo: Tal Shachar

According to the recent change in policy, women will no longer be grounded if they’re pregnant.
Continue Reading »

20 years later, the U.S. returns Auschwitz barracks to Poland

 

Unable to extend the loan of half of historic structure to Holocaust Museum in Washington, its return was finally achieved this week.

 

 

Officials at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp museum say half a historic barracks that was on loan to the United States has been returned to Poland after two decades and long negotiations.

Auschwitz Barracks - Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Auschwitz Barracks – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

 

The barracks was at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, which wanted the lease extended. But Polish regulations passed in 2003 allow only five-year loans and Poland asked for its return soon after. Following years of negotiations, the Holocaust Museum agreed in October to return it. Continue Reading »

Brits Suckered by Anti-Israel Antics at St. James’s Church

Having successfully tormented & then hounded most of Bethlehem’s Christians into leaving – the Palestinian Muslims’ propaganda campaign is succeeding at blaming Israel abroad.

By Gil Ronen

 

Palestinian Authority Muslims, who have been fully in charge of life in Bethlehem since the 1993 Oslo Accords were implemented, have successfully hounded most of the city’s Christians into leaving the city – but a London exhibition shows that their overseas propaganda in the West still manages to blame Israel for the Christians’ alleged suffering from Jewish “occupation.”

Replica Palestine Separation Wall Built in Central London - YouTube screenshot

Replica Palestine Separation Wall Built in Central London – YouTube screenshot

 

The “Bethlehem Unwrapped” festival opened Dec. Continue Reading »

Hezbollah Keeps Families Quiet by Paying Them $25K per Dead Fighter

Source in Lebanon claims Iranian-backed Shiite terrorist group is paying families of fighters killed in Syria ‘hush-money’ to conceal cause of relatives’ deaths.

By Mark Langfan and Ari Soffer

 

Hezbollah is reportedly paying the families of its fighters killed in Syria to keep quiet about the circumstances surrounding their relatives’ deaths.

Funeral of Hezbollah fighter killed in Syria – Reuters

According to a source in the Lebanese port city of Tripoli, which has been wracked by deadly clashes between militias supporting different sides in the Syrian civil war, the Iranian-backed group is paying $25,000 to families of operatives killed fighting Syrian rebel forces, apparently in an attempt to conceal the true extent of its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Continue Reading »

Knesset committee supports bill annexing Jordan Valley

8 ministers approve bill proposing  Israel annex Jordan Valley, so that it remains within Israeli sovereignty, unable to be relinquished even if a peace accord is reached with Palestinians.

Several ministers appeal, saying they will block legislative process

Moran Azulay

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved Sunday a bill, proposed by MK Miri Regev, to annex the Jordan Valley, thereby ensuring that the region remains within Israeli sovereignty even if an agreement is reached with the Palestinians.

Minister Livni - Photo: Noam Moskowitz

Minister Livni – Photo: Noam Moskowitz

The bill was supported by eight ministers from the Likud, Yisrael Beitenu, and Habayit Hayehudi.

Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar said: “There is no divide between settlement and security. Continue Reading »

5 Rockets fired at northern Israel, “double war crimes” under cover of Lebanese gov’t

One rocket exploded just west of Kiryat Shmona, though apparently 5 were launched.

Israeli PM Netanyahu: Hezbollah carried out a ‘double war crime under the cover of the Lebanese gov’t.’

 

 

At least five Katyusha rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel on Sunday, one of which exploded inside of Israeli territory. No casualties or damage were reported.

Israeli soldiers examine a rocket fired from Lebanon, December 29, 2013

Israeli soldiers examine a rocket fired from Lebanon, December 29, 2013.

The military confirmed that a 122-mm rocket, apparently a Russian-made Katyusha, exploded in an open area west of the city. Continue Reading »

Group Fights to Save British Mandate Site from Arab Construction

Israeli group turns to court to protect historical building as Palestinian Arab claims ownership, and brings in heavy machinery to begin construction.

By Maayana Miskin

 

A historic site in the Binyamin region north of Jerusalem may be destroyed if Israel’s courts do not intervene, the Regavim organization has warned.

Khan Lubin – Oved Arad, Regavim

The ancient structure of Khan Lubin is located near the Israeli town of Maaleh Levona. Residents of the town and other nearby communities have made an effort to preserve the site over the years.

However, in recent months Palestinian Arabs have increasingly been coming to the site, and, Regavim warns, have been doing damage to the ancient structure. Continue Reading »

Israel’s Christian community divided on IDF enlistment campaign

 

Pre-Christmas military ceremony honoring contribution of Christian volunteers into the IDF highlights Jerusalem’s new push to recruit its minorities.

Arab enlistment opponents use intimidation & scare tactics against those who sign up.

Christian soldier: ‘We are held hostages’ of Muslim Arab community

By The Associated Press

Dozens of Israeli soldiers respectfully rose from their seats as the Israeli national anthem began playing. The recording of “Hatikva,” an ode to the Jewish yearning for the Land of Israel, wrapped up a ceremony, held in Hebrew, during which speakers thanked the troops and handed out awards.

Elinor Joseph, was born 1991 into a Christian family from the Arab village of Jish, is the first Arab woman ever to serve in a combat role in the I.D.F.

Elinor Joseph, was born 1991 into a Christian family from the Arab village of Jish, is the first Arab woman ever to serve in a combat role in the I.D.F.

Continue Reading »

Two Rockets Hit Northern Israel; IDF Responds with Artillery Fire

Two Katyusha rockets fall just outside of Kiryat Shmona; no casualties reported.


IDF artillery unit fires rounds at Lebanese village identified as the source.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Two Katyusha rockets fell in Israel’s North Sunday.

Katyusha Rocket shot at Galilee (archive) – IsraelandStuff/PP

Katyusha Rocket shot at Galilee (archive) – IsraelandStuff/PP

The rocket fire was heard at about 7:00 am, near the city of Kiryat Shmona. Kiryat Shmona is close to the Lebanese border.

No casualties have been reported.

Local residents reported explosions and alerted security forces, who then combed the area to locate the points of impact and the launch site. Residents reported clouds of smoke billowing from the impact sites. Continue Reading »

Next group of Palestinian terrorists to be release on December 30

After threats from the EU & US, now the Palestinian Authority warns Israel not to announce new construction in response to prisoner release.

By Reuters and

 

 

Israel has informed the United States of plans to release the next group of Palestinian prisoners on Dec. 30 under a U.S.-brokered peace plan, the State Department said on Friday.

Protest against release of Palestinian prisoners - AFP

Israeli protesters hold placards as they demonstrate in the city of Tel Aviv on December 26, 2013 against the release of Palestinian prisoners. – Photo: AFP

“Although we had expected the release to occur on December 29, we have been informed that technical issues made it necessary to do the release a day later,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. Continue Reading »

Earthquake Hits Northern Israel

Mediterranean earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale shakes Cyprus and was felt as far east as the Haifa area.

By Tova Dvorin

 

An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale shook Cyprus Saturday night, with the effects felt as far east as Northern Israel. The two areas primarily affected were Haifa and the Krayot.

The quake’s epicenter was about 50 kilometers deep in the Mediterranean Sea, and about 80 kilometers from Antalya, Turkey.

No casualties are reported and no further aftershocks are expected.

Orit, a resident of the Kiryat Shmuel neighborhood in Haifa, described the quake to Arutz Sheva. Continue Reading »

NY Bill to Withdraw Public Funding to Schools Supporting ASA Boycott

New York State politicians are proposing a bill that will withdraw public financial assistance from colleges & universities supporting the ASA boycott of Israel because it only targeted discrimination against Israel and betrays the values of academic freedom that are held dear.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Two New York lawmakers are fighting an anti-Israel boycott with a campaign of their own: to stop the flow of public funds to schools involved in the scandal.

The New York Daily News reported Friday that Senate co-leader Jeffrey Klein and Assemblyman Dov Hikind are proposing a bill that would give colleges and universities in the state of New York 30 days to withdraw their support from groups boycotting Israel – or lose state funding. Continue Reading »